Monommy
Chapter 134: Exhausted
It was late into the night, and attempts to summon Bestiemy via her Drop continued to fail, one after the other. Both Alysson and Takashi had tried numerous times but to no avail. When Kane and Od had awoken, they tried as well, as did Dr.Lane, Ember and Erin. Kane even used his time teaching Maia to summon Monommy properly to have the young girl attempt to summon Bestiemy. Almost every single monomaster in the safehouse had made multiple attempts, but still, the Monommy they so desperately needed to find refused to appear.
The only monomaster who hadn’t made the attempt was Glenn, as he was busy burning a perimeter around the cul-de-sac, destroying any biomass he or Toastmy came across.
As soon as Cobb had returned from the latest distress signal, Dr.Lane immediately pulled him to the side to look at something on the computer. They spent the entire evening working on something together with Bytemy. Whenever someone would approach them, they would shoo them away, saying they were ‘almost there’. This went on for hours, until finally Marcus jumped up out of his seat and excitedly shouted “YES!”
This grabbed the attention of the entire safehouse. Dr.Lane held his hands to his chest as if to defend himself from the many sets of eyes now staring directly at him.
“Uh… We s-successfully built a system that tracks anomalous wavelengths from specific magic frequencies,” he explained.
Bytemy’s eyes, which were blank from her connection with the computer, suddenly lit up as she disconnected herself from it. She shot up into the air and shouted, “We locked on to Bestiemy!”
The safehouse erupted in excited cheering. After an agonizingly long day, they had finally done it. Actual, real, tangible progress.
“At least we think so,” Cobb clarified.
Od groaned loudly.
“It’s locked on to a specific magical signal,” Bytemy explained, “and there’s only two things giving off that signal. The Drop you guys got from Site C, and something else that seems to be dashing around a lot on our map here. Its movement patterns match the fight algorithms from our FIREFIGHT datasets, so it stands to reason that it’s Bestiemy.”
“Where is it, then?” asked Kane. He was still a bit tired, but feeling determined to see this through to the end now that the end was in sight.
“I’m not telling you,” said Bytemy. “And I’m not telling Marcus or Cobb or any human in here. This is for Monommy eyes only, and only for those of us whose pacts haven’t developed to the point we’re perfectly synchronized. We don’t want Reklauzolth knowing about this and getting the jump on us.”
“Is that what that is? Reklauzolth can listen in on our thoughts?” asked Alexandra as she walked over to sit next to Kane.
“Yes,” said almost every human in the safehouse at once.
“That was creepy,” Ember muttered.
“Ignorance is bliss, I suppose,” said Od as she stretched. “So Bytemy will lead the way, then?”
“That’s the plan, yes,” said Dr.Lane. “Then as soon as you have the Drop from Bestiemy’s chassis, you’ll portal back here and Maia will perform the ritual.”
“Then the world’s saved. Let’s do it!” Kane exclaimed.
“Not yet,” said Cobb. “We’ll do it first thing tomorrow morning. It’s far too dark out there now, it’s too dangerous to wander about with the Chaos-types roaming about. We’ll all need as much energy, magical or otherwise, as we can get. A few of us almost died today. Tomorrow we might not be as lucky.”
“So rest up everybody, we’ve got a big day tomorrow!” Bytemy shouted.
Everyone in the safehouse made their way to their sleeping bags, couches, makeshift cots, and the few beds Glenn and his father were able to fit in the corner.
Erin and the Hobgobmy joined Prismatmy for the night so she wouldn’t be alone. Alysson and Velocimy joined them, and the group shared memories of Kai and other monomasters they had met on their travels.
Mienmy and CuddleMothmy joined them as well. They both felt like something was missing, but they couldn’t exactly place what. Neither Alysson, Erin, nor Takashi had the heart to tell them it was probably because their human partners died. Instead, they shared stories and laughed together. It’s what Catherine and John would have wanted, right?
Takashi wondered where Emet was, if he was okay. He hoped so.
Although she was still heartbroken from Kai’s departure, something about talking with Erin, Alysson, and the other Monommy let Prismatmy feel at ease, even if it was just long enough for her to fall asleep.
Marcus and Mason set up their sleeping bags next to the computer, where Bytemy would sleep. They spent the end of the day excitedly talking about their plans for the new Twin Star, and congratulating each other on how much good they were doing. Od overheard them patting themselves on the back when she went to say goodnight to her dad, and rolled her eyes.
Alexandra kept her distance from the Twin Star members, and instead kept close to the other monomasters in the safehouse. Before she set up her sleeping area though, she pulled Kane to the side.
“I’ve heard a lot about your team,” she said, putting a hand on Kane’s shoulder. “I have to say, I’m really impressed what you’ve all managed to accomplish. The world fell apart but you all found one another and… well, it’s just nice to see that even in this fucked up world where monsters run wild and governments turn Monommy into weapons, there’s people like you kids that seem to really understand what I was going for when I made Monommy.”
Kane nodded. He never thought he’d even meet Alexandra Stella, and yet here she was, impressed with him.
“I thought my world of magic and joy was lost to the horrors of reality, but in your own way, people like you – the real monomasters – have kept the original spirit alive. Thank you for that.”
“Thank you for making Monommy. It saved my life,” said Kane.
Alexandra took her hand off of Kane’s shoulder and pointed at him.
“No, you saved your life. I’m just glad that it was my art that helped you find that part of you. But don’t ever think it saved you. That was all you, kiddo,” said Alexandra.
Kane had never thought of it that way before. It felt… nice.
Virusmy flew up from behind Kane and perched herself on his shoulder.
“You must be Virusmy!” Alexandra exclaimed, reaching out her hand.
Virusmy grabbed on to her fingers with both hands and shook as firmly as she could. She had read online that a firm handshake was very important, for some reason. She didn’t understand the reason, but it seemed humans didn’t really know either.
“Nice to meet you,” said Virusmy. “I’d say thanks for making me but that idiot did.” She pointed over at Marcus Lane, who was now passed out and snoring in his sleeping bag.
“I didn’t make any of you,” said Alexandra, “You were just born to my designs. Well, they were.” She motioned towards Bunpopmy and Warpmy, who were chatting on the couch while Od and Ember were mysteriously missing.
“Hey, where’d Od and Ember go?” Kane asked them.
“Upstairs. Don’t worry about it!” Warpmy replied.
“Try to not focus on their thoughts hun it’s better for you right now,” Bunpopmy added.
“Ah,” Kane said, realizing immediately what they were implying was happening. Alexandra felt it too.
“Uuh okay so I actually had something I wanted to discuss with you,” said Alexandra quickly, trying to quickly change the subject so their minds wouldn’t focus on what Ember and Od were up to.
“What is it?” Kane asked.
“It’s something that might help you out tomorrow. It seems like the rules of the real world Monommy follow the rules of the game, to an extent. But they follow the rules of Lightspeed and Darkmatter,” Alexandra explained.
“Right,” said Kane, “The cancelled sequel.”
“Yeah. We were mid development when the sky tore open and Monommy became real. Since the gameplay and world were more or less identical to Uprising and Downfall. I wanted to add something that changed the status quo.”
“Okay…”
“What I came up with was a sort of… temporary power up spell that the player could cast on their pact partner, and only their pact partner,” Alexandra explained. “It would completely sap the human of their strength and give it all to their Monommy partner. Then, their partner would undergo a powerful transformation, or cast one incredibly strong spell. Rozermy, for example, would become an actual rose tiger.”
Rozermy, hearing her name, ran over to Kane and Alexandra.
Kane smiled. “That sounds pretty cool!”
“Thanks, heh,” Alexandra chuckled. “It was called Omniburst.”
“Why are we talkin’ about me?” Rozermy asked.
“Oh! I didn’t realize you were here,” said Alexandra. “Who’s your partner?”
“Her!” Rozermy back at Maia, who was on the floor playing a board game with Dana and Icezermy. Alexandra pondered why there was a blue version of Rozermy in the safehouse.
“So why are you telling us this?” Virusmy asked.
“Only a pact partner can do it, which is why I can’t personally confirm if it’s possible in the real world. I wanted you to know about it, in case you’re in a situation tomorrow that calls for it.”
“I’ll remember it. Icezermy is Maia’s other pact partner, by the way,” Kane explained, picking up on Alexandra’s confused thoughts.
“Icezermy? If I wanted to make an alternate Rozermy I would’ve called it IceRozermy. Like PlushArctomy, you know?” said Alexandra.
“Hey, don’t badmouth my cousin!” Rozermy snapped back, “She’s awesome! And just like me!”
“You don’t act like the Rozermy in the games… You’re more like the tv show one,” said Alexandra, eyeing over Rozermy.
“That makes sense,” said Virusmy, “Maia watches cartoons and she made the wish to make Monommy real, didn’t she?”
Kane gasped. “You really think so?”
“I thought it was obvious at this point,” Virusmy shrugged. “Think about it, wishmaker, Reklauzolth granted a wish to Caulfield, Maia is the omnimaster… It can’t just be a coincidence. Oh, y’know, I’m pretty sure I saw something in here earlier… One sec.” Virusmy zipped off through the air, then zipped right back, holding an old tattered colouring book. It had Rozermy and Chromoxmy on the cover, and the title said ‘Colouring with Monommy’.
Virusmy quickly flipped through the pages and slapped the book when she got to the right one.
“See?”
The page said ‘Colour in Rozermy!’ and featured clean line art from Monommy Uprising and Monommy Downfall. It was coloured in with blue, white, and turqoise crayons. In blue crayon, the name “Icezermy” was written next to the Rozermy.
Alexandra and Kane stared at the book, then over at Icezermy, then back at the book. They did this over and over until Kane finally said, “She’s her OC, come to life. I’d have probably wished for the same thing.”
Rozermy ran back to Maia, then with her in tow, came back to Alexandra, Virusmy, and Kane.
“I want to try the omniburst thing!” Rozermy confidently.
“It completely drains you of your energy, and we need Maia to summon The Grand Mother, so you really shouldn’t,” Kane protested.
“Omniburst!” Maia shouted.
Nothing happened.
“Oh,” said Kane.
“I did say I wasn’t sure if it worked. At least now we know, I guess,” said Alexandra.
“Nevermind I’m gonna go play,” said Maia, running back to join her sister.
Before Rozermy could go join her, Alexandra grabbed her by the sleeve. She turned to face her.
“Take care of them. You and Icezermy. They’re way too young for this. You’ll protect them, right?”
Rozermy nodded. “Protect the children. It’s what Monommy do best.”
Alexandra smiled.
Od and Ember laid quietly together in the darkness, savouring the quiet in the room and their individual minds until the synchronization returned and everyone else’s thoughts came rushing back in to fill the corners of their minds once again.
They were happy they had a brief moment of privacy.
Od slipped her hoodie back on in the dark room. It felt a bit tighter than she was used to. She reached into the hoodie’s pocket and felt a tangled mess of earbud cords.
“Oh uh… I think I’m wearing your hoodie,” said Od as she went to take it off.
“Keep it,” said Ember. “I’ll just wear yours.”
“They’re gonna think-“
“I don’t care. I’m so past that self doubt crap.”
Ember put Od’s hoodie on. It was baggier, and comfier than she was used to. Ember pulled the base of the hood up to her nose. It smelled like Od.
“We should head back,” said Od. “Maybe eat something before we go to bed. I think I might be hungry but I can’t tell with all this stress.” She groaned.
Ember wrapped her arms around Od and hugged her tight.
“Just a little longer?”
Od smiled, then turned around to squeeze Ember back, burying her head in Ember’s collar.
They cuddled close and tight. Both of them knew this might be the last time they ever could. Even if it wasn’t, even before all of this, they cuddled like it was the last time. The difference is that now it really might be.
Od sighed, letting go of some of the accumulated stress.
“It feels safe here,” said Od.
“Yeah Glenn’s made a nice place here,” said Ember.
“I meant in your arms, dork.”
“I knew what you meant,” Ember giggled. She kissed the top of Od’s hat.
“So,” said Od, “About that break up.”
“What break up?”
The feeling of young love struck everyone in the safehouse down below. If they didn’t know before, they certainly knew now.
“I’m sorry all that happened,” said Od. “This whole Monommy thing… Even the anomaly stuff. I’m glad it let us spend so much time together.”
“I’m glad we found each other again too,” said Ember.
“Hey, uh… Em?”
“Yeah, Od?”
Od pulled away from Ember for a second, and looked into her eyes. Her eyes had adjusted and now all she could see was Ember’s face. Their heartbeats synchronized along with their minds, and in unison, they said:
“I still love you.”
Alexandra had gone to bed, and now it was just Kane and the group’s Monommy.
“Should we go get Glenn?” Warpmy asked. “Aren’t little kids supposed to go to bed at a reasonable hour?”
“I dunno, I’m not a parent,” said Virusmy. “Kane, you’re human, should they be in bed?”
“I was never good with bedtime,” said Kane. “But my dad didn’t care, so long as I was quiet.” Kane looked down. He hadn’t really processed what happened with his dad. Maybe it still wasn’t time for that.
Virusmy perched on Kane’s shoulder as she usually did and gave a hug to the side of his face. Kane smiled and pat Virusmy on her little head.
“I don’t know about you guys but I’m going to bed,” said Bunpopmy, shoving Warpmy and Kane off the couch they were sitting on and stretching her legs across it. “I don’t care if I make Ember sleepy, she can consider it revenge for getting me riled up enough as is.”
Warpmy got off the ground.
“First of all, that was rude,” she said, then added, “Secondly, yeah, I agree. We need our energy at full for tomorrow anyways.”
Suddenly a portal opened up to their side. Od and Ember stepped through it and then it closed.
Warpmy and Bunpopmy stared at them with a knowing look while Kane and Virusmy waved hello.
“I don’t wanna hear it,” said Od just as Warpmy was about to say something.
“So are you guys-” Bunpopmy began.
“Yeah,” said Ember. “We’re on again.”
“That’s awesome! Happy for you two,” Kane exclaimed.
Od blushed.
“We’re happy too,” said Ember.
Od looked across the safehouse, and Mienmy caught her eye. She was cozied up with Prismatmy and CuddleMothmy, sleeping soundly.
Suddenly the monomaster team all remembered Catherine and Cole, and that night of celebration they spent at Ember’s place after their heist. It wasn’t long ago, but it felt like an eternity had passed since then. At the same time, it was like it was a brief moment ago. The lack of Catherine’s presence ate away at them. Her sarcastic remarks and gentle smile were sorely missed. Their memories of Cole weren’t as fond, but nonetheless they sort of missed him too, mourning what he could have been, rather than what he was.
They all knew what was at stake. They were all determined to fix this, so that nobody would have to suffer any longer.
“Not out of the woods yet,” said Od. “But we can do this. Tomorrow.”
The team all nodded in agreement.
“In case we don’t make it-” Kane began.
“Don’t say that,” Virusmy interjected, lightly smacking Kane’s cheek. “We will.”
“Well, I just wanted to say to you all,” Kane said, “that I love each and every one of you, and thank you for giving my life meaning.”
“Don’t get sappy you’ll make me cry,” said Bunpopmy, her voice cracking.
“Your life always had meaning, Kane,” said Warpmy. “But it’s sure easier to see it when you have friends, isn’t it?”
“Family,” Ember corrected.
Suddenly the safehouse’s door swung open wide, and Glenn stomped his way inside, locking the door behind him.
“Crazy weather out there tonight!” he declared loudly. Glenn realized as soon as she shouted that, that several people were trying to sleep. “Oop, sorry folks!”
“Speaking of family, here comes dad,” said Ember with a chuckle.
Dana and Maia ran up to Glenn and he picked them up to give them a big hug. Toastmy climbed down from Glenn’s wide shoulder and put her tiny arms around the girls’ necks, trying her best to stretch and hug them both. They were the perfect picture of a happy little family, even with the two feet tall mom.
“Everything okay out there, Glenn?” asked Od.
Glenn poked his head out of the group hug for a moment and gave a determined look to the others.
“Toastmy and I cleared out the whole cul-de-sac,” said Glenn, “But we want to clear out more so we’re heading back out once I put the kids to bed.”
Maia and Dana whined in protest.
“I wanna stay up!” Dana declared.
“It’s already 11pm!” Glenn said, furrowing his brow, “You need sleep to grow big and strong, like me!”
A man and a woman approached Glenn as he placed his kids back down gently. They were pursued by two Monommy: Immolmy and Plasmamy. Kane had seen them hanging around the safehouse all day. The woman was pretty noticeably pregnant, and both of them seemed a bit antsy.
“You and Toastmy should sleep tonight,” said the pregnant woman. “Keith and our Monommy will be able to keep the area safe through the night.”
Glenn furrowed his brow again and shook his head. “No no no, I can’t let you go out there with your baby. You four stay here, Toastmy and I can keep it up through the night.”
“It’s fine,” said Keith, “Janet and I have had all day to rest, and we’re all itching to get out and do something. You’ve done so much for all of us already, and I know you’ll want to be there when Maia performs the ritual, right?”
“Of course, I want to make sure she’s safe,” Glenn nodded. “But I can’t ask you two-“
“We’re going and you can’t stop us,” Janet insisted. “You might as well get some rest and be with your family. It’s a big day tomorrow. You’ve made a safe place for us to stay, now let us grant you a safe night of rest.”
“But the baby-“
“Shut up and accept it!” Janet demanded.
“Should listen to her, dude,” said Immolmy.
“You’re sure?” asked Glenn.
“If she needs a break, the rest of us can pick up slack. If you and Toastmy could do it all day, the four of us should have no problem for a few hours,” said Keith.
Janet nodded. “Our baby will be fine. Go tend to yours.”
Janet and Keith gave Glenn a big hug.
“Thank you,” Glenn whispered, his voice cracking slightly from the surge of emotion. Nothing got to Glenn’s heart like someone protecting him for a change.
Keith, Janet, Immolmy, and Plasmamy left the safehouse for the night, and Glenn sat down with his kids to read them a bedtime story.
“We Monommy don’t have dads,” said Bunpopmy. “So I never really understood their purpose.”
Ember laughed. “Me neither.”
“I think I get it now,” said Bunpopmy.
When Glenn’s story was over and the kids were tucked into bed, he got up and went straight over to Kane.
“Kane, Dana was wondering if you could talk to her for a moment,” he said with a concerned look on his face.
“Dana wants to talk to me?” said Kane, confused.
“She does,” said Glenn. The two went over to Dana’s bed.
“Dana, tell Kane what you told me,” said Glenn in a gentle tone.
Dana pulled the covers up a bit past her nose. “I’m sorry it’s nothing…”
“It’s not nothing, sweetie,” said Glenn. “Would you like me to tell him?”
Dana nodded.
“Okay then,” said Glenn, “Kane, Dana here tells me that she’s worried that she isn’t as important as Maia because she isn’t the chosen one. You’re not the chosen one either, right?”
Kane looked at Glenn for a second, confused as to why he chose him to talk to his kid about this. Then he felt it.
“Oh,” said Kane, “Well, you don’t need to be the chosen one to be important, Dana. You’re just as important as your sister is.”
“Or how I am,” said Glenn. “Or Kane here.”
“Right,” said Kane. “Everybody is important for their own reasons. Maia is important because she’s the omnimaster, but also because she’s… well, Maia.”
Kane looked over at the wishmaker, snuggled up and asleep in her bed.
“You’re special because only you can be Dana,” said Kane. “Just like only I can be Kane, or your dad can only be Glenn.”
“His name is dad not Glenn,” said Dana.
“Right you are, kiddo,” said Glenn.
“Right, haha,” Kane chuckled.
“But Maia’s Maia and also the chosen one,” Dana pouted.
Glenn’s mustache tilted to the side as he thought for a moment.
“You’re also her big sister, and a really good big sister,” said Glenn. “And she needs you. She looks up to you.”
Virusmy hopped on to Dana’s bed.
“Not only that,” said Virusmy, “You’re also the chosen TWO!”
Kane and Glenn exchanged a confused look.
“Chosen TWO?!” Dana said excitedly.
“Don’t let your sister know, but after the ritual happens and we summon The Grand Mother, we’re all gonna go out for icecream AND pizza,” Virusmy explained.
“We are?” said Glenn. “First I’m hearing this.”
Toastmy climbed into Dana’s bed as well.
“It’s true, dad!” Toastmy added. “We know we’re not allowed dessert and dinner at the same time, but thanks to the chosen two, we get to have them BOTH tomorrow!”
“Oh, I see,” said Glenn. “That’s a very special power.”
Dana was smiling wide. “Can we get a new toy too?”
Glenn laughed. “Just this once!”
Dana giggled excitedly.
“Better get some sleep so tomorrow comes faster, right?” said Glenn.
“Yeah!” said Dana.
“Give Toastmy a big hug for good dreams,” said Glenn.
Dana and Toastmy hugged and she quickly fell asleep thanks to Toastmy’s coziness.
“Thanks for that, you guys,” said Glenn as they left the girls to sleep.
“Sometimes a strategically placed lie is the best form of hacking,” said Virusmy matter-of-factly.
Od and Ember had their sleeping bags right next to each other, and were holding hands under the covers. Everyone pretended not to notice, but it was impossible not to. Their giddiness of being together again spread from mind to mind, with no hope of stopping it.
Virusmy cuddled up to Kane on the couch. Kane wondered if this would be the last time they slept, but shook the thought away as quickly as it emerged.
Glenn stood over his monomaster and Monommy friends, with Toastmy already asleep resting on the top of his head.
“Goodnight, kids,” said Glenn. “Thanks for being my pal.”
“Still adults, Glenn,” said Od. “but… yeah. Thanks for being my friend, too.”
“You’re a great man, Glenn. I hope we can keep hanging out when this is over,” said Ember.
“We still need to have a real barbeque!” Glenn insisted. “So we better hang out later! Totes epic!”
“Nobody says that anymore, Glenn,” Kane giggled.
“I do!” said Glenn confidently. “You’ll have to keep teachin’ me. This old dog knows how to learn new tricks.”
“Slowly but surely,” Warpmy remarked.
“Exactly!” said Glenn. “Well, sweet dreams, everybody.” He walked off to sleep next to his children.
As he walked from end of the safehouse to the other, when nobody was looking, he dropped his smile and tears welled up in his eyes. If it weren’t for Od and Ember’s rekindled love, they’d have been able to feel the worries and fears, the anxiety and terror, the sadness and frustration building up in Glenn’s mind.
He hoped everything would go well tomorrow. It had to.
Toastmy had trained him well, but what if their fire wasn’t enough?
What if he couldn’t protect his kids? What kind of cruel, horrible world would dare thrust the role of ‘chosen one’ onto a seven year old?
Glenn had never believed in hatred, always saying it was a strong word, and everything has something good in it, so why hate? But Reklauzolth had proved Glenn wrong.
Glenn hated Reklauzolth.
Toastmy’s comfort magic was needed to let Glenn sleep that night, through the gripping anxiety in his throat, through the tears in his eyes, through the mask he always wore to let everyone else know everything was okay.
Glenn sobbed himself to sleep, holding Toastmy close. She ran her tiny hands through his hair, and her warmth made him feel just a little bit safer.
“We got this, Glenn,” she whispered to him. “It’s okay. Just let me hold you tonight.”